A Cookbook of Middle Earth
by elveriamoir
Summary: Due to demand Bilbo has released a cook book pertaining to the recipes he has cooked or tried in his journey through middle earth. I promise it is not just recipes, back stories are included.
1. An Introduction and Acknowledgements

_**AN: I don't own any of the hobbit characters I am just taking them out of Tolkien's toy box and playing with them.**_

_**This is dedicated to FanFiction Queen. You have been there from nearly the beginning and have never failed to leave me a review when I post a chapter, no matter which Hobbit story it has been. You have forgiven me when I have failed to post an update in time, have given me encouragement when I needed it and put up with my insanity. **_

_**It is also a thank you to cheshirekitten909 for being my beta for Hobbit, a thank you to Malo919 in whom I sense a kindred spirit, to FallenDarkness who has been with me from the very beginning. It is a thank you to Chishio Ame who has challenged me when I messed up and showed such interest in my back stories. It is a warm hug to Arlewena and hjohn302 whom I miss greatly when they are not around to give me such great reviews. And finally it is for randomplotbunny whose reviews always make me smile. **_

_**Thank you to everyone else who has left me reviews over the year and a half I have been posting hobbit stories. **_

An Introduction.

Dear reader,

If you have chosen to pick up this book allow me to compliment you on your fantastic taste and encourage you to try the recipes within its pages as soon as you can. They range from the very simple to the most intricate, but there is a story behind everyone I have chosen to include.

Many of my friends and family have asked me to compile a recipe book containing the new and old meals I have tried on my travels. Never let it be said that hobbits will let their distain of adventures come between them and a good meal.

I would first like to thank Master Gandalf, for without his interference and busybody ways I would never have set foot outside my door that day, nor would I have made such memorable friends or found such delicious foods.

Secondly I would like to thank Balin for shouting down all of Thorin's arguments and actually allowing me to go on a journey and adventure I secretly wanted…whether or not I was thankful at the time let me say it now my friend. Thank you.

Next I would like to thank Bombur. A fantastic dwarf and a magical chief. No one can make onion soup like you my friend. Please raise a glass to Bombur and all the discussions I have shared with him about food in the course of our friendship.

Beorn is the next person I would like to thank. Beorn my friend, without you raid we would have died and without your delicious food I would never have been able to convince twelve dwarves that a meal didn't actually have to contain meat. Beorn has agreed to allow me to publish his letters when I write out his recipes so you get to know a little of the man behind them.

Finally let me thank Fili, Kili, Bifur, Bofur, Nori, Dori, Dwalin, Gloin, Oin, Ori and Thorin. Without you my friends my life would be very boring and I wouldn't be in the position I am now.

(Bard my friend I cannot give you thanks for recipes for while your fish stew probably saved us from starvation, it tasted like sand. Yes I have eaten sand before my friend, and yes it definitely tasted as such, it even had the right texture.)

(Tauriel my red haired beauty. You are a deadly, gracious fighter. A brilliant dance. You have a fantastic sense of humour and a wicked streak a mile long, but…and this is an important point my dear…You. Cannot…Cook! So please put the saucepan down and step away from the stove. Legolas can cook give him the pan my dear and go out and have some fun.)

So please my good readers, when you make a recipe from the pages of this book raise your glass in a toast to my friends.

_**AN: Please leave me a review if you have read my other stories request a recipe. If you haven't read my other stories and have no idea where I am going with this then let me reassure you. I will not just be posting recipes. You will get the recipe, that is true, but you will also get a back story to go with it. Think of it was snap shots of Bilbo/Beorn/Bombur's life, not to mention how bad the rest of the dwarves are at cooking. **_


	2. Lavender sponge

_**AN: I don't own any of the hobbit characters I am just taking them out of Tolkien's toy box and playing with them.**_

_**Thank you to everyone who has responded so far. **_

_**FanFiction Queen: She couldn't be good at everything. For you convention what about your cookies?**_

Lavender sponge with white chocolate buttercream.

Welcome to the first recipe of my cookbook. I always find people's reactions to this delicately flavoured cake to be a delight, especially those of dwarves when you inform them that it is actually lavender.

I can remember the first time I tried this cake. It was my father's fiftieth birthday and I was a hyperactive ten year old. Grandmother Baggins had locked herself in the kitchen as soon as we had finished breakfast. The smells that filled the smial had me trying determinedly to sneak into the kitchen to make off with some pilfered goodies. Grandmother Baggins was too wise and wily for me and I got caught every single time. Even my mother failed to make it passed the back door and she sat with me in grumpy commiseration until the hour of afternoon tea. As a young hobbit, unused to going without second breakfast, elevenses and lunch the wait had been no small for of torture. Add onto that the smells filling the air and floating out of the kitchen to torment the rest of Hobbiton and I flew into the house when I was called. The table was piled high with goodies, but I had eyes for only one thing. At the centre stood a cake. Grandmother Baggins had outdone herself. A triple layered, buttercream filled sponge topped with the sweetest smelling icing sugar and several heads of lavender. I couldn't take my eyes off it, even as I tried the rest of the food served to me it held my attention. Finally, and ever so slowly she rose to cut us all a slice of that fantastic creation. I fell in love at the age of ten. I have tasted no desert or cake that has come close since, although I think that may have been because of the memories that went with the first try of my cake. Regardless this cake is always a hit.

It took me several tries to get the cake to look as perfect as I remember Grandmother Baggins' to be. Making sure the butter cream in cool when you spread it stops the cake sliding around quite so much.

Oh I had best warn you. Delicious as this cake is, it is not for those who are watching those pesky things called calories.

_Ingredients for cake:_

_*12oz butter, (room temperature)._

_*9oz lavender caster sugar._

_*3oz golden caster sugar. _

_*12oz self-raising flour._

_*6 large hens' eggs. 4 full eggs and two egg whites, beaten. _(Using egg whites instead of the full egg makes the cake a little lighter.)

_*1 tbsp. milk. _(You don't actually have to use this. It is held as a reserve in case the batter is too thick.)

_*8 drops vanilla essence. _

_*pinch of salt._

_*2 tbsps. lavender icing sugar. _

_*12 lavender heads. _(Make sure it is edible lavender please).

_Ingredients for Buttercream:_

_*12oz white chocolate (chopped)._

_*18oz butter (room temperature)._

_*1lb 2oz white icing sugar._

_*1lb 2oz lavender icing sugar._

_*6 tbsps. full fat milk._

_Equipment:_

_*3x8in cake tins, greased and lined with baking parchment/greaseproof paper. _(I'd do it first it saves you trying to mess on when you have finished making the sponge batter and so lets you keep all the air in the batter).

_*Cake board. Round. 10in._

_Instructions._

_1). Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas4. Grease and line your cake tins. _

_2). Place the butter and sugar into a large bowl. Cream them together. _(Beat them until they become combined and the colour of the butter has become the palest of cream. See why I said to leave it at room temperature? Oh and you had best be using your hands. None of this cake making machines or whisks or spoons here thank you.)

_3). Whisk up the vanilla essence with the eggs_ (I will let you off for using a fork for that, but put it to one side when you are done). _Now add them into the creamed mixture and beat in. Pour in half the eggs first, that way you can check if you need to add some of the flour if it starts to curdle. Finish adding the eggs._

_4). Fold in half of the flour and stir in well _(be gentle here you don't want to lose the air you've just beaten in). _Sift in the rest of the flour and add the salt, now fold into the batter gently. If the mixture is too stiff you can add you milk now. _

_5). Pour the mixture into the greased cake tins. _(Use a soft spatula to get it all out of the mixing bowl). _Now place into your preheated oven and bake for 25minuets._ (Test with a squewer when the time is up. If it comes away clean you can take the cakes out of the oven. If there is still some mixture clinging to it put them back into the oven for another ten minutes. Trust me it is worth the extra time to stop the sloppy insides escaping and covering your bench.)

_6).Leave to cool for 1-2minutes and then turn out on a wire rack to cool (_Make sure you peel off the baking paper or your cake will have a soggy bottom)_. _

_7). Now it is time to make the butter icing. _

_A)._ _Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. When melted and smooth, lift off and set aside to cool for 15min._

_B). Put the softened butter into a separate large bowl and sift over the icing sugar. Starting slowly, beat together. _(You will need a spoon for this and don't go mad with the beating straight away unless you want a face full of icing sugar.)

C). _Beat in cooled white chocolate and milk. Now leave to stand for another five minutes in a cool (but not cold) place. Take out two tbsps. of the mixture and place in a separate bowl _(you will understand in a minute).

_8). When ready to decorate use a breadknife to level the top of two of the cakes, if necessary. Use the most of the butter icing from the smaller bowl to coat the bottom of the first cake, centre it on the board and press down lightly. Leave it too set for ten minutes. _

_Now spread half of the butter cream from the large bowl onto the top of one of the levelled cakes. Press three of your lavender heads into the butter cream. Carefully place the second levelled cake on the top of the butter cream, press down softly to set it in place. Spread the rest of the butter cream from the large bowl on the top of this second cake, place three of the lavender heads on it and carefully lower the final cake on top of the stack. _

_To finish tidy the edges around the cake where the butter cream is likely to have escaped. Now, use the remaining lavender icing sugar and sift over the top of the cake. Finally place the six remaining lavender heads in a loose circle on the top of the cake. _(You should have had some of the butter icing left in the small bowl, use this to stick them down.)

%

Happy baking.

Now to serve I suggest either a refreshing elderflower cordial or some jasmine green-tea. Relax and watch the wonder appear on your guests' faces.

_**AN: The sponge recipe is one from my own grandmother, I adapted it when I was first introduced to lavender sugar. Of course now I grow my own lavender it is easier to make as I don't have to pay a small fortune for the sugar.**_

_**Leave me a review and let me know what you think.**_

_**Next up is the cinnamon hot chocolate. What do you all want me to make from my stories after that? **_


	3. Cinnamon Hot Chocolate

_**AN: I don't own any of the hobbit characters I am just taking them out of Tolkien's toy box and playing with them.**_

_**Thank you to everyone who has responded so far. **_

_**FanFiction Queen: The lavender cookies don't travel well. The glazed nuts do, but I'm not sure if you want to make the crystallised stem ginger curd or if you can buy it this time of year. Gingerbread cut outs with lemon frosting sound delicious. For chocolate…have you tried making shortbread with chocolate chunks in them? Or making a bowl of white chocolate buttercream for people to eat with your biscuits?**_

Cinnamon Hot Chocolate.

My friends have requested this drink from me since they found out about it. Bombur you old cad I blame you completely for getting the Shire addicted to this. So that said I must stress that this recipe is all Bombur's creation. I had no hand in it other than to drink it, and it grieves me greatly. I have played with it often enough but Bombur's original recipe is still the one that goes down the best.

The first time I tried this I was surrounded by friends, all of them dwarves I might add, and slobbing in the halls of Rivendell. We had spent the day just relaxing, laughter and jokes had ran freely. I believe Kili even kissed the feet of Ori that day. My young friend and myself had spent the day in the kitchen serving up a plethora of hobbit dishes and meals. We had had first and second breakfast. Elevenses and lunch. Afternoon tea and dinner, but for me the meal that most stands out was supper. It stands out because I had no hand in making it and as well versed in simplicity as it was, it was still delicious.

So when you make this drink (and yes it can be scaled up easily enough if you have large enough pans) raise your mug to its creator. The fantastically talented and forever modest Bombur of the Ur clan. Bombur my friend he's to showing me that just because I am a hobbit doesn't mean I am the best cook, or know all of the best recipes.

_Ingredients: (to serve two)_

_*1/2 pint of full fat milk. _

_*1tsp caster sugar._

_*1 tbsp. dark coco powder. _

_*1tsp cinnamon._

_*4oz dark chocolate (at least 70%)._

_*4 tbsp. double cream._

_Ingredients for chocolate whipped cream:_

_1/2 pint whipping cream._

_1 tbsp. granulated sugar._

_1/2 tsp. vanilla extract._

_1/2 tbsp. dark coco powder. _

_To serve:_

_*1 measure of brandy in each mug._

_*1 tbsp. chocolate whipped cream per mug. _

_*1/4 tsp. cinnamon per mug._

_Instructions:_

_1).Melt the chocolate in__ a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. When melted and smooth, lift off and to set to one side momentarily._

_2). While the chocolate is melting down add the milk to a saucepan and slowly bring to the simmer. When it is steaming remove from the heat and whisk in the melted chocolate, caster sugar, coco powder and cinnamon._

_(_Stop licking the spoon. That is really not hygienic. Save it until you are finished.)

_3). Return to a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure you have no lumps left. _

_4).While the chocolate mixture is reheating start to make you chocolate whipped cream. _

_Add all of the ingredients to the bowl and whisk until medium peaks form._

_5). Remove the hot chocolate from the stove and whisk in the double cream. _

_Into heavy mugs pour a measure of brandy. Now carefully fill the mugs with the hot chocolate (remember to leave a lip at the top for the whipped cream). Carefully place a tablespoon of chocolate whipped cream on the top of the hot drink and shift over the cinnamon._

%

Now in my opinion the only way to enjoy this drink is with friends. Stoke the fire high (Pine cones let off the most delicious smell), and make sure you have plenty of nibbles, cushions and throws. Bed down around the fire and talk and giggle and sing until everyone dozes off. Most of all, and this is most important, so please pay attention, this is a drink to have fun with. It can be enjoyed by all the family, just miss the step of adding the brandy to the drink you give to the children.

Creator's Comment:

Take the Brandy out! I have never been so shocked Bilbo. I'll have you know Our young dwarflings drink it like that with no problems to their constitution or their health. Now I am not a diva but you nearly had me flouncing out of the room in disgust my friend. Can I ask a favour? Can you please stop claiming I am fantastically talented. It isn't true and I feel such a fraud. 

Now where was I? Ah yes, how I come to know this drink. It was while I was growing up, before I had met my wonderful wife or had children. Even before I was truly of age. I had travelled down to Dale one winter's day and we had somehow misjudged when the storm was due to hit so we arrived bedraggled, soaked and partially frozen. I don't think I have ever been so glad I was born a dwarf. Any how we stumbled into one of the free houses and we must have looked pathetic because the bar maid, a pretty lassie for a human female, started to make up these mugs of steaming drinks for us before any of us had even spoken. It is safe to say that as soon as i had dried off and made myself presentable I tracked her down to beg the recipe from her. 

Leave the brandy out, I have never!

_**AN: My granddad used to make us this when it used to snow. We'd come in after school to steaming mugs of the stuff and strip off out of our soggy gear and into PJ's and sit in front of the coal fire and burn little bits of paper and pine cones on it. **_

_**Leave me a review and let me know what you think please. **_

_**I'm thinking about doing a savoury dish next. Let me know if you want meat or vegetable please. **_


	4. Grandmother's Broth

_**AN: I don't own any of the hobbit characters I am just taking them out of Tolkien's toy box and playing with them.**_

_**Thank you to everyone who has responded so far. **_

Grandmother's Broth.

Ah I miss the days when I used to arrive at Tooksborough, chilled from a tramp across frosted fields to find Grandmother Took in the kitchen a pan of her broth bubbling away happily of the range. Strange woman was my Grandmother Took, but she couldn't half serve up a warming and filling meal. This was the perfect comfort food of my youth, warming, filling and dense. It tasted sinfully good, especially when she used to make little herby dumplings to float on the top. Seriously ask anyone in my family what they remember about my Grandmother Took and they will tell you it was her collection of mounted animal heads and her broth. The animal heads I didn't enjoy so much, the broth I never turned down.

The recipe below is to feed 8 humans or 4 dwarves/hobbits, if you serve it with some fresh bread.

_Ingredients:_

_*2 large leeks, chopped _(and washed, please wash them. I don't care what Grandfather used to say slugs are not extra protein).

*_2 large carrots, chopped._

_*1 parsnip chopped._

_*1 turnip, peeled and chopped. _

_*3 pints ham stock (_You will be using the shank bone to make this. Don't worry I will tell you how)_._

_*meat off one ham shank. _

_*2 tbsp. pearl barley._

_*2 tbsp. split peas._

_*2 tbsp. red lentils._

_*4 large potatoes, washed and chopped. _

_Ingredients for Ham stock:_

_*1 ham shank. _

_*1 carrot, chopped._

_*1 onion, chopped._

_*1 celery stalk, chopped._

_*2 bay leaves._

_*water (as much as your biggest pan.)_

_Instructions for ham shank and ham stock:_

_1). Place in a pan full of cold water and bring to the boil, let simmer for 30-45 minutes._

_2). Take the hock out of the water and set to one side to cool. Reduce the remaining water in the pan down to about 1pint. Strip down the joint while the water is reducing and place the meat to one side. Add fill the pan with and return the hock bone, introducing the vegetables and bay. Turn the pot on to the lowest possible simmer and let the stock cook for 6-8 hours, adding a cup or two of water about once an hour._ _A__fter 6-8 hours, remove the ham bone, bay and vegetables with a mesh skimmer, strainer, or slotted spoon and discard. _

_3). Reduce down to 3 pints. _(Trust me the broth with taste fantastic.)

_Instructions for broth:_

_1). Place dried peas into a bowl and just cover with water. Leave to soak for 12 hours. _

_2). Wash pearl barley and red lentils, strain well before adding them to the ham stock. _

_Add in the vegetables and bring to the boil (both the bits left of the stock and the new ones.) _(The ones of the stock will completely break down and thicken the broth)._ Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes._

_3). Now pour in another ½ pint of water and add the ham you set aside earlier. _(You may want to hide it somewhere when you strip it off the bone or people tend to eat it.)

_Bring to the boil again and give it a good stir. Cover the pan and reduce the heat allowing to simmer for another 30minutes. Stir again and check you don't need to add water at this point. Then reduce to the lowest heat, recover and allow to stay warm for another 15 minutes. This will allow the broth to thicken. _

_4). Serve up before people start knawing on the table leg in their hunger because of the smell. _

%

I would suggest serving this in a heavy bowl with a hunk of hot bread to soak up the remains of the broth. It is a good standalone meal and especially good to make if you want something you can just keep topping up. Ours used to stand on the top of the oven at low heat for a couple of days. Grandmother Took just kept adding vegetables, water and scraps off the meat we were having to it (don't let people add lamb or chicken or fish to it, the taste kind of goes funky.)

_**AN: This actually belonged to my friend's Nanan. She is a country girl through and through, so we were never inside when I visited her. We were forever out playing in the woods, or down by the stream pretending we stood a chance of catching the tiny silver fish in it. We would tramp back into the house and her Nanan would clip our ears for tracking mud in and send us to get changed. When we came back down freshly scrubbed and in leggings and jumpers there would be a bowl of broth (complete with hunk of Stottie and a single floating dumpling) waiting on the kitchen table for us. We chased it down with full fat milk and the sound of her Nanan knitting and humming. I miss those days.**_

_**Leave me a review and let me know what you think please. Am I doing okay?**_

_**Any requests on the next recipe? **_


	5. Leek and Blue Cheese Pizza

_**AN: I don't own any of the hobbit characters I am just taking them out of Tolkien's toy box and playing with them.**_

_**Thank you to everyone who has responded so far. **_

Leek and Blue Cheese Pizza.

Now I did manage to grab a slice of this delicious pizza bread at Beorn's, but the greedy beggars I travelled with didn't leave me much of it to enjoy so it was the first thing I wrote to Beorn requesting the recipe of. Now without further ado let me hand you over to Beorn.

**Dear Bunny,**

**It was nice to get your letter. Hard to read with all the swirly bits on the words but I like you so I pushed through. I am well. Bah is getting old, poor dear. I was surprised you liked my food enough to ask for how I make it. Was the pizza really that nice? I will take your word as annoying wizard (not brown one the one you were traveling with) told me hobbits are masters at what tastes good. If you really want how I made it then I will send you how. I don't know if you will have all stuff over there though. Do you have Pizza stone? They give best results. Also roll dough as thinly as you can to get a good, crisp base. It not so good when bread is flabby. **

**I think it was a dish Matter taught me before I chose form. It always fun to make with her. I miss her. She will be happy my new family like cooking. Little lion visited last moon, ate three plates of pizza. He grown, not as happy anymore. He needs to be bigger so I can give him proper hug. Don't kill my how to do it please.**

_Ingredients:_

_*7 tsp. olive oil._

_*1 Garlic clove peeled._

_*1 bird's eye chilli, halved._

_*1oz butter._

_*2 small leeks, halved length ways and then thinly sliced across._

_*1oz parmesan cheese, freshly grated. _

_*1/4 lb mozzarella cheese, grated._

_*1 ½ tbsp. finely chopped oregano._

_*1 ½ tbsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley._

_*2oz blue cheese, crumbled._

_*sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. _

_Ingredients for the Dough:_

_*10oz strong white flour. _

_*1/4 tsp dried yeast._

_*1 tsp salt._

_*6 fl. oz. lukewarm water._

_*1 ½ tbsp. olive oil. _

_Instructions:_

_1). Put the olive oil, garlic and chilli in a small bowl and set aside to make oil take up flavours. To make dough, mix the flour, yeast and salt in a bowl. Stir in water and oil. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead for 5-8 minutes, until smooth and stretchy. Place into lightly oiled bowl, cover with damp cloth and set in warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size._

_2). While waiting for dough heat butter in small frying pan, add leeks and cook over a low to medium heat for about 10 minutes, until soft but not colour. Season with salt and pepper, take off heat and leave to cool. _

_3). Place two heavy-based baking sheets or terracotta tiles in oven and preheat to 250C/Gas 10. Mix parmesan, mozzarella and herbs in a small bowl._

_4). Cut four sheets of baking parchment, each large enough to hold a 22cm pizza. Divide the risen dough into four, dust the pieces of parchment with a little flour and roll out each piece of dough on the parchment, making a round about 22cm in diameter. Brush with the flavoured oil and scatter with the cheese mixture, followed by the leeks and then the blue cheese. Slid one pizza (still on parchment) onto a hot baking-sheet or tile and bake for 8-10 minutes (one at a time). Serve immediately. _

**Hope it works for you Bunny. Beorn is missing everyone and heading over to cold mountain for visit. Might make Big Red let me into kitchen, hope king guy remembers I don't eat meat. Oh might be good idea if I write first, dwarves like meat yes? I do it late hand hurts now. **

**Autumn's blessings little bunny.**

**Beorn.**

Ah I miss the big guy, haven't missed been called bunny though. I had forgotten how annoying that was. Lobellia is no longer talking to me when I beat her at the Hobbiton Bake off thanks to this recipe.

Please think of dear Beorn as you eat this delicious pizza.

_**AN: Ah this recipe I adapted from a cookbook I got from one of the organic farms in England. I found out about the pizza stone and rolling the base thin through trial and error.**_

_**Go on leave me a review and let me know what you think. There will be no more posts from me for about a week as I am off to WGW. Lots of alcohol, good food, good music and good friends. Have a lovely week all and I will update as soon as I get back. Think about it as me giving you time to decide what recipe you want me to do next.**_


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